Good morning, Cookeville.

Spring is sneaking in, and the WestSide District is getting into the St. Patrick's Day spirit early — there's a free, family scavenger hunt through the neighborhood this Saturday that we think you'll love.

In today's Scoop:

Let's get into it.

— The Cookeville Scoop

Good Stand-Up Comedy with Dan Alten — Looking for a proper Friday night out? Roasted Hemp Co is hosting comedian Dan Alten this Friday, March 13 at 8pm. It's a fun venue for a night away from the usual — good for couples, friend groups, or anyone who just needs a solid laugh to close out the week. Grab your tickets on Eventbrite before the show.

Thursday Unlimited Bowling at Bowling World & Gutters Grille — If you've got a flexible Thursday, Bowling World is running an unlimited bowling special today for $17.99 per person — 10am to 4pm (must wrap up by 4). It's one of those deals that works just as well for a family afternoon as it does for a casual mid-day outing with friends. Located at 545 Neal St. Full details at bowlingtn.com.

Cousins Maine Lobster Food Truck — The Cousins Maine Lobster truck — the one from Shark Tank — is making a Cookeville stop this Saturday, March 14. They'll be set up in the Lowe's parking lot at 510 Neal St starting at 11am. If you've never had a Maine lobster roll, this is a low-effort opportunity to try one. These trucks tend to move through fast, so plan to arrive early rather than late.

Thursday Happy Hour Round-Up — A few solid options if you're looking for a reason to knock off early today. Crawdaddy's is pouring $5 Bourbons all day Thursday (they claim the largest bourbon selection for miles — accurate, in our experience). El Magueyal has $4 margaritas until 8pm on weekdays. Drake's runs 2–5pm with $2 mini cheeseburgers and $5 Tito's. The Putnam Room goes 3–5pm weekdays. Plenty of good options.

The WestSide Scavenger Hunt series has been running all season, and this Saturday it wraps up with its biggest and most festive edition yet.

The Finale is themed around St. Patrick's Day — they're calling it the "Pot o' Prizes Pursuit" — and if you haven't done one of these before, here's how it works: starting at 10:30am at the Cookeville Depot Museum (116 W Broad St), you pick up a clue sheet and head out into the historic WestSide District. The goal is to follow the clues from business to business, duplicating images at each stop as you go — a visual scavenger hunt through one of the better-kept corners of downtown Cookeville. When you've made the loop, your completed card goes into a prize drawing.

What we love about this format is that it's a genuine reason to explore. The WestSide District has a real mix of local shops, food spots, and galleries that a lot of families don't get to regularly, and this gives you a built-in path through all of it. The kids stay locked in because there's a game happening. The adults stay locked in because — well, it's just a pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning in a neighborhood worth knowing better.

St. Patrick's Day is Tuesday (March 17), so the green-and-gold timing couldn't be better. The scavenger hunt runs 10:30am to 2:30pm, which gives you plenty of time to do the whole loop and still have the afternoon free. Whether you treat it as a full morning mission or just pop into a few stops, it tends to turn into more of a day than you expected — in the best possible way!

It's completely free. No registration, no sign-up — just show up at the Depot Museum on Saturday morning and grab your clue sheet. More info at cookeville-tn.gov/events. We hope to see some of you out there.

Spanish Class: Ages 15+ at the Putnam County Library — Thursday, March 12, 9–10am at 50 E Broad St. Instructor Nicolle Vargas leads a free weekly Spanish basics class open to anyone 15 and up — pronunciation, common phrases, and some light conversation practice. Recurring every Thursday morning. No registration needed, just walk in. Free. More details here.

2nd Annual Pie Festival — Saturday, March 14, 10am at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. The second year of Cookeville's community pie celebration — a neighborhood tradition already in the making. Check local community pages for the full list of activities and entry details before you head out. [EDITOR NOTE: Admission cost and vendor/activity details unconfirmed — verify before publishing.]

Year of October Live at Mean Mel's — Sunday, March 15, 7pm at Mean Mel's, 5760 Hwy 111 N. Live music to close out the weekend at one of Cookeville's well-loved venues. Check Songkick or Mean Mel's directly for ticket info before heading out. [EDITOR NOTE: Free or ticketed? Verify cost before publishing — if ticketed, consider moving to To Dos.]

If there's someone in your life who'd love a weekly heads-up on what's happening around Cookeville, forward them this email — we're always glad to have more neighbors in the loop. And if you've got an event coming up, a new spot you think we should know about, or a tip for a future edition, just reply to this email. We read every single one.

Thanks for being here with us, Cookeville. St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner — we hope your week is full of good food, a little luck, and a good reason to explore your neighborhood. See you next time! 🧡

— The Cookeville Scoop Team

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